Gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas look like large, mean animals but they are really gentle, shy creatures. They eat almost any plant species along with other food such as bamboo stalks. Mountain gorillas live in rainy areas on the Virunga volcanoes in Africa. When it is time to sleep they make a soft bed out of leaves up in the trees. The only animal a gorilla needs to look out for is the leopard because they will hunt injured or young gorillas.
Did you know that gorillas hardly ever drink water? Gorillas also are the biggest apes. Each gorilla has a different, unique nose print just like people have different fingerprints. When a strange visitor comes the silver back hoots making a very loud noise on his hind legs. Then, he will beat his chest. If the stranger does not go away the silver back will charge at him waving his arms and screaming. The silver back will put his face into the intruders and stare face to face until one of them turns away.
Gorillas are endangered because humans kill them. Big-game hunters killed gorillas to be stuffed as trophies. They also are hunted for their body parts which are made into souvenirs such as ash trays that are made out of gorilla hands. Gorilla babies are brought to the circus. To get the baby the poachers have to kill the mother. Funds are being raised to help the gorillas like the Diane Fossey Fund. Only 50,000 gorillas remain in Africa. The Diane Fossey Fund goes to the 400 mountain gorillas that are left.